Us Weekly (1-year)

First, it is true that US Weekly has changed dramatically in the past year or two. The magazine has adopted a British-tabloid style of journalism that has made it a top seller on newsstands. As a result, however, US Weekly's depth on Hollywood, and its reporting credibility has sunk to an all time low. Many of its rumors, unidentified news sources, reports from an insider, etc. are extremely fun to read, but also lacking in accuracy. With that said, readers should acknowledge that a good portion of information may be created by the writers and editors in order to deliver a more entertaining story.

Although some of the gossip-like reports may be nothing more than a figment of a writer's imagination (resembling a fan's biggest fantasy), US Weekly should be credited for its well-versed skills in crafting sensationalism. Whether a page is about Collin Farrell or American Idol, the magazine does a wonderful job of delivering a colorful page full of photographs and trivial tidbits. After a hard day's work or long hours studying, US Weekly is definitely a welcomed refreshment.

Now whether this magazine matches up to its other celebrity-magazine competitors is debatable. US Weekly lacks the great stories and interviews of Rolling Stone or Vanity Fair, but is a lot more enjoyable than People; it also suffices the cravings of those InStyle fans who like to check out fashion do's and don'ts. Overall, if it's fluff you want, then nobody does it better right now than US Weekly. The magazine's publishers don't even pretend anymore that some of its loyal subscribers are illiterate!

*** Summary: If you want substance, look elsewhere (i.e. The New Yorker, The Economist, The Nation). But if you're high on cherry squishy, nothing is better than pictures of J-Lo's posterior or a conversation with Britney's bodyguard. This magazine could, however, pack its pages a little bigger -- preferably with exclusive interviews, and stories that take longer than one night to write.


The best magazine by far   June 11, 2003
Hume An (Evanston, IL)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

I love Us Weekly. It has the best celebs, great pictures, and nice, pithy captions. It's the best source for the straight dope.

I like the innocent fun and the overall happiness that emanates from it's bright pages. It's a nice respite from doing problem sets ad nauseum. Within 20 minutes, I can read the magazine from cover to cover, get current on my favorite celebs' lives, and come away with a smile on my face.

You can't ask more from a magazine.


This magazine sucks   November 19, 2003
5 out of 13 found this review helpful

I'm searching for music magazines and this thing comes up. This is not a music magazine. It's a stupid girl magazine that talks about nothing but fashion. Skip this magazine and move on to something better.


Has Seen Much Better Days   September 22, 2006
H TERESA K
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

I used to really like US magazine. I have been collecting every issue each week for several years now. But wait! Has anyone else noticed that this magazine has drastically changed since the beginning of this year? Where are all the interesting articles and info on the celebrities, movies and music? There's no more than a thumbnail's sketch of info on anything now. It's all photos and quickie hype. It has no more substance. What happened to this good magazine?


Trendy Tabloid   June 24, 2003
audrey72 (Boulder, CO USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Us weekly is mostly about what the stars are wearing and the latest trend on television. There are some tabloid style photos which are completely tasteless, and I'm not really sure who cares if Brittany Spears had a latte at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on 4th street last Wednesday, but mostly it's a fair gossip magazine. The articles are all really short and definitely without much depth, but most people aren't looking for that when they read Us weekly. The fashion police is pretty funny; it's just a bunch of comments about star's clothes from a group of people with no real authority on the subject. Most are comedians or writers, which is probably why it's so funny. This magazine is definitely a quick read, and I don't feel any smarter when I'm done reading it, but it does keep me up to date on the Hollywood side of pop culture.